New York State Route 12F
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 12F (NY 12F) is an east–west state highway
in Jefferson County, New York
, in the United States. It extends for 6.89 miles (11.09 km) from an intersection with NY 180
in the town of Hounsfield
to a junction with U.S. Route 11
(US 11) and NY 12
in the city of Watertown
. The route follows a parallel routing to that of NY 12E
between the vicinity of the village of Dexter
and the city of Watertown. While NY 12E runs along the north side of the Black River
through this area, NY 12F follows the southern bank. Just east of NY 180, NY 12F serves Watertown International Airport
.
Modern NY 12F was added to the state highway system in 1916 and designated as part of NY 3
in 1924. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 3 was moved onto a new alignment to the east and its former alignment between Watertown and Clayton
became NY 12E. Also assigned at this time was NY 12F, which initially used what is now NY 12E from Dexter to Watertown. The alignments of NY 12E and NY 12F east of Dexter were swapped ca. 1939.
south of the village of Dexter
in the town of Hounsfield
. The route heads to the east, following the southern bank of the Black River
through undeveloped areas of Jefferson County
. One exception to this lies midway between Dexter and Brownville
, however, as NY 12F passes by Watertown International Airport
, located in an otherwise barren area south of the highway. East of the airport, the route proceeds to the southern outskirts of Brownville, where it connects to Bridge Street, a connector linking NY 12F to NY 12E
on the opposite side of the river in Brownville. The connector is designated as NY 971H, an unsigned reference route. Past Bridge Street, NY 12E becomes the riverside highway—albeit on the northern bank—while NY 12F turns southeast to follow a linear routing into the town of Watertown
.
The amount of development along the route begins to rise as the route approaches the city of Watertown
. It passes several office parks and the northern access road to Salmon Run Mall on its way to an interchange with Interstate 81
(I-81) at the northwestern city limits of Watertown. The highway continues into the city, where ownership and maintenance of the route shifts from the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) to the city of Watertown. Within Watertown, NY 12F passes a mixture of commercial and residential areas overlooking the Black River, which rejoins NY 12F several blocks into the city limits. NY 12F and the river enter downtown Watertown soon afterward, where NY 12F ends at a junction with US 11
and NY 12
just northwest of the city's central business district.
was initially improved to state highway standards in the mid-1910s as part of a project that also upgraded the 2 miles (3.2 km) of modern NY 180
between NY 12F and NY 12E
to state standards. The two highways were added to the state highway system on February 8, 1916, following the completion of the $78,015.56 project (equivalent to $ in ). Both roads were collectively designated, but not signed
, as State Highway 1182 (SH 1182). When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, all of SH 1182 became part of NY 3
. At the time, NY 3 continued south toward Pulaski
on current US 11
and north toward Clayton
on modern NY 12E.
In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 3 was altered to exit Watertown
to the east on its modern alignment while its former routing between Watertown and Clayton via Dexter
became NY 12E. At the same time, an alternate route of NY 12E between Dexter and Watertown along the north bank of the Black River
was designated as NY 12F. The alignments of NY 12E and NY 12F east of Dexter were swapped ca. 1939, placing both routes on their current alignments.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, in the United States. It extends for 6.89 miles (11.09 km) from an intersection with NY 180
New York State Route 180
New York State Route 180 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 3 in the Hounsfield hamlet of Baggs Corner, located west of downtown Watertown. The northern terminus is...
in the town of Hounsfield
Hounsfield, New York
Hounsfield is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,466 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is from Ezra Hounsfield, a land agent and land owner....
to a junction with U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 in New York
U.S. Route 11 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Canadian border at Rouses Point, New York...
(US 11) and NY 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...
in the city of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
. The route follows a parallel routing to that of NY 12E
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E is a state highway located entirely within the northwestern part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. Officially, the southern terminus of NY 12E is at NY 12 in the city of Watertown; however, its signed terminus is at NY 12F in the village of...
between the vicinity of the village of Dexter
Dexter, New York
Dexter is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,120 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Simon Newton Dexter, one of the village's stockholders....
and the city of Watertown. While NY 12E runs along the north side of the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
through this area, NY 12F follows the southern bank. Just east of NY 180, NY 12F serves Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Hounsfield, five miles west of the central business district of Watertown, a city in Jefferson County, New York, USA...
.
Modern NY 12F was added to the state highway system in 1916 and designated as part of NY 3
New York State Route 3
New York State Route 3 is a major east–west state highway in New York, United States, that connects central New York to the North Country region near the Canadian border via Adirondack Park. The route extends for between its western terminus at an intersection with NY 104A in the Cayuga...
in 1924. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 3 was moved onto a new alignment to the east and its former alignment between Watertown and Clayton
Clayton (village), New York
Clayton is a village located in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,821 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the name of the town....
became NY 12E. Also assigned at this time was NY 12F, which initially used what is now NY 12E from Dexter to Watertown. The alignments of NY 12E and NY 12F east of Dexter were swapped ca. 1939.
Route description
NY 12F begins at an intersection with NY 180New York State Route 180
New York State Route 180 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 3 in the Hounsfield hamlet of Baggs Corner, located west of downtown Watertown. The northern terminus is...
south of the village of Dexter
Dexter, New York
Dexter is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,120 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Simon Newton Dexter, one of the village's stockholders....
in the town of Hounsfield
Hounsfield, New York
Hounsfield is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,466 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is from Ezra Hounsfield, a land agent and land owner....
. The route heads to the east, following the southern bank of the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
through undeveloped areas of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
. One exception to this lies midway between Dexter and Brownville
Brownville (village), New York
Brownville is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,022 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jacob Brown, an early settler and developer....
, however, as NY 12F passes by Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Hounsfield, five miles west of the central business district of Watertown, a city in Jefferson County, New York, USA...
, located in an otherwise barren area south of the highway. East of the airport, the route proceeds to the southern outskirts of Brownville, where it connects to Bridge Street, a connector linking NY 12F to NY 12E
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E is a state highway located entirely within the northwestern part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. Officially, the southern terminus of NY 12E is at NY 12 in the city of Watertown; however, its signed terminus is at NY 12F in the village of...
on the opposite side of the river in Brownville. The connector is designated as NY 971H, an unsigned reference route. Past Bridge Street, NY 12E becomes the riverside highway—albeit on the northern bank—while NY 12F turns southeast to follow a linear routing into the town of Watertown
Watertown (town), New York
Watertown is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population is 4,470.The Town of Watertown is located in the southeast part of the county...
.
The amount of development along the route begins to rise as the route approaches the city of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
. It passes several office parks and the northern access road to Salmon Run Mall on its way to an interchange with Interstate 81
Interstate 81 in New York
Interstate 81 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada – United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border...
(I-81) at the northwestern city limits of Watertown. The highway continues into the city, where ownership and maintenance of the route shifts from the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
(NYSDOT) to the city of Watertown. Within Watertown, NY 12F passes a mixture of commercial and residential areas overlooking the Black River, which rejoins NY 12F several blocks into the city limits. NY 12F and the river enter downtown Watertown soon afterward, where NY 12F ends at a junction with US 11
U.S. Route 11 in New York
U.S. Route 11 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Canadian border at Rouses Point, New York...
and NY 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...
just northwest of the city's central business district.
History
All of what is now NY 12F outside of the city of WatertownWatertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
was initially improved to state highway standards in the mid-1910s as part of a project that also upgraded the 2 miles (3.2 km) of modern NY 180
New York State Route 180
New York State Route 180 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 3 in the Hounsfield hamlet of Baggs Corner, located west of downtown Watertown. The northern terminus is...
between NY 12F and NY 12E
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E is a state highway located entirely within the northwestern part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. Officially, the southern terminus of NY 12E is at NY 12 in the city of Watertown; however, its signed terminus is at NY 12F in the village of...
to state standards. The two highways were added to the state highway system on February 8, 1916, following the completion of the $78,015.56 project (equivalent to $ in ). Both roads were collectively designated, but not signed
Unsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
, as State Highway 1182 (SH 1182). When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, all of SH 1182 became part of NY 3
New York State Route 3
New York State Route 3 is a major east–west state highway in New York, United States, that connects central New York to the North Country region near the Canadian border via Adirondack Park. The route extends for between its western terminus at an intersection with NY 104A in the Cayuga...
. At the time, NY 3 continued south toward Pulaski
Pulaski, New York
Pulaski is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 2,365 at the 2010 census.The Village of Pulaski is within the Town of Richland, and lies between the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill region. The village is located on US Route 11 and is adjacent to...
on current US 11
U.S. Route 11 in New York
U.S. Route 11 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Canadian border at Rouses Point, New York...
and north toward Clayton
Clayton (village), New York
Clayton is a village located in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,821 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the name of the town....
on modern NY 12E.
In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 3 was altered to exit Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
to the east on its modern alignment while its former routing between Watertown and Clayton via Dexter
Dexter, New York
Dexter is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,120 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Simon Newton Dexter, one of the village's stockholders....
became NY 12E. At the same time, an alternate route of NY 12E between Dexter and Watertown along the north bank of the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...
was designated as NY 12F. The alignments of NY 12E and NY 12F east of Dexter were swapped ca. 1939, placing both routes on their current alignments.